Implicit and explicit learning: applications from basic research to sports for individuals with impaired movement dynamics

Abstract

Purpose. Motor skills can be learned in an explicit or an implicit manner. Explicit learning places high demands on working memory capacity, but engagement of working memory is largely circumvented when skills are learned implicitly. We propose that individuals with impaired movement dynamics may benefit from implicit learning methods when acquiring sports-related motor skills.

Method. We discuss converging evidence that individuals with cerebral palsy and children born prematurely have compromised working memory capacity. This may in part explain the difficulties they encounter when learning motor and other skills. We also review tentative evidence that older people, whose movement dynamics deteriorate, can implicitly learn sports-related motor skills and that this results in more durable performance gains than explicit learning.

Results. Individuals with altered movement dynamics and compromised working memory can benefit from implicit motor learning.

Conclusion. We conclude with an appeal for more extensive evaluation of the merits of implicit motor learning in individuals with impaired movement dynamics.

Keywords:

• Implicit learning
• explicit learning
• sports
• motor skills
• disability
• working memory
• impaired movement dynamics

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Note

1. It is important to stress that the distinction between movement structure and movement dynamics does not necessarily correspond to the distinction between explicit and implicit learning, or to the distinction between declarative and procedural knowledge. For example, coaching manuals typically provide explicit or declarative knowledge of movement dynamics. The degree to which the two dichotomies map to each other is therefore an empirical issue.